On the Lamb, a pub on London’s Holloway Street, Hamish Goodwin is nursing a pint of Murphy’s.
A Guinness drinker, Goodwin not too long ago fell in love with the lesser-known stout, which he calls “barely richer”. Although typically much less widespread, Murphy’s has been “creeping up” in pubs and bars within the capital not too long ago, he’s seen.
One other Guinness drinker on the Lamb, Chris Wold, says he opts for an alternate stout wherever doable. “Guinness is vastly dependable, nevertheless it’s a bit vanilla. After I seen they didn’t have Guinness on, I used to be completely happy to see Murphy’s.”
But due to social media – with accounts like Shit London Guinness (devoted to incorrect pours), posts on the “splitting the G” problem, and celebrities reminiscent of Kim Kardashian and Olivia Rodrigo consuming it – the recognition of Guinness, as soon as thought-about an “previous man’s drink”, has risen dramatically. And particularly amongst girls and gen Z.
Guinness 0.0 is now Britain’s best-selling non-alcoholic beer, and Diageo, which owns the model, is sort of doubling its output.
Hovering Guinness gross sales – 20% up within the 4 weeks to November in contrast with the identical interval a 12 months earlier than – led to a Christmas scarcity. A spokesperson for Diageo stated in December the corporate was planning to ship extra Guinness to Britain than it had for St Patrick’s Day, historically the busiest time of the 12 months. Provides had been rationed and a few pubs had been unable to inventory it.
The beer’s success, and the scarcity, has now opened the door to rival stouts. Although total beer, wine and spirits gross sales fell by 1.6% in 2024, demand for stout in supermarkets rose by 13% .
Murphy’s has been one of many largest beneficiaries. Final week its proprietor, Heineken, stated gross sales in UK pubs and bars had been up 632% in December, in contrast with the identical month in 2023. Gross sales all through 2024 had been up 176%, and it’s now stocked in additional than 500 British pubs, with robust development in London and the north-west. The model can be introducing cans. It not too long ago poked enjoyable at Guinness’s well-known slogan, with a marketing campaign titled “Good issues come to those that are ready”.
Wexford-based Brennan’s can be benefiting. Proprietor Peter Brennan has made candy, caramelly stout for the reason that Nineties and, after Brexit, joined North Yorkshire’s Theakston Brewery to extend manufacturing for the British market. “December was a unbelievable month for us,” Brennan advised the Observer. “We bought three to 4 months of beer in simply two weeks. However we have now to maintain our toes on the bottom – the Guinness scarcity is just not going to final for ever.” Theakston’s stated 100,000 pints of Brennan’s had been consumed final 12 months, and it believed the overall may hit 250,000 in 2025.
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The Lamb not too long ago turned to Brennan’s, however final week it bought out and was changed with Murphy’s. The pub additionally shares Black Vinyl, a stout by London-based Signature Brew. Landlord Ade Clarke stated that three years in the past he bought 5 – 6 kegs of Guinness per week; now he commonly reaches eight. A preferred hang-out for Arsenal followers, Clarke stated on one matchday final 12 months Guinness outsold lager for the primary time. However Clarke was affected by the scarcity and sought options.
Different British stouts are additionally in demand. Fuller’s boss Richard Whitty stated the brewery’s Black Cap has benefited from Guinness’s success. Final 12 months, Bedfordshire’s Wells & Co launched a stout, Genesis, and ramped up manufacturing by 50% throughout the festive season attributable to rising demand.
Anspach & Hobday launched London Black in 2021, a darkish porter much like stout, which now makes up 73% of its output and is stocked in additional than 300 pubs, stated co-founder Jack Hobday. Gross sales grew 110% over the previous 12 months, predating the Guinness scarcity, which despatched issues “up a notch. We noticed some pubs come over,” he added. “Guinness is the ultimate monopoly that craft beer hasn’t actually opened up.”
Consultants assume that’s altering. “The Guinness scarcity is a good alternative for beer drinkers and publicans to search for native and unbiased breweries and pattern beers usually saved off the bar,” stated Ash Corbett-Collins, chair of the Marketing campaign for Actual Ale.
Sarah Corridor had by no means bought Guinness at her bar and restaurant, Peaks & Troughs, in Ingleton, North Yorkshire. However an growing variety of punters, particularly youthful ones, ask for it. “Folks robotically ask for Guinness. They don’t even look,” stated Corridor. She additionally serves stout from native breweries reminiscent of Lancaster Brewery’s Lancaster Black. Corridor’s stout gross sales have doubled over the previous 12 months.
Diageo confirmed final week that Guinness provides would return to regular for the Six Nations rugby match, which begins on 31 January and for which Guinness is the headline sponsor. A spokesperson stated: “Demand for Guinness stays at unprecedented ranges. We’re making good progress in replenishing shares.”
By the point they get to the bar, nevertheless, rugby followers would possibly discover a wider selection of stouts than ever.
